In the casting of a line, usually with a weight on the end of the line, the energy to propel the weight for a distance is injected by the caster's arm propelling an end portion of the line with a circular rotation about the hand that grasps the line at the center of rotation. The line is then released and flies off in the direction intended. This is called hand casting.
As the line is propelled, it pulls a continuous source of line length until the weighted end reaches its destination and drops into the water. The supply of line for the aforementioned action might take the form of a coil of line lying on the ground or deck near the caster; it might be wrapped around a cylindrical object such as a coffee can or a soda bottle; or it might be wrapped around a rectangular object such as a board. The line can be retrieved by pulling it hand over hand, or by wrapping it around a board or cylinder.
There is on the market a manufactured plastic, round reel for hand casting and retrieving line. This is a ring about ten inches in diameter made of plastic which is about three inches wide. The ring is dished and rimmed along the outside diameter for holding line. It is rimmed on the inside of the ring to provide a handhold. The purpose of this product is to hold a line for fishing without a pole.
Native fishermen in many countries use handmade fishing boards with line wrapped around them. The line on these boards is wrapped lengthwise parallel to the grain of the wood. The user holds the board on one side. Sometimes an oval is cut into the board creating a handle for holding the board. The board is from three to eight inches wide (across the grain) and is from four to fourteen inches long. Its thickness ranges from one quarter inch to one inch. The length of the board on each end of the handle edge is often from one-half inch to one inch longer to help keep the line being wound from balling off the backside of the board onto the user's hand. A problem with this type of board is that heavy pulling loads, such as from a large fish, can split the board along its grain. Also, when wet, the grain of the board rises creating friction in the process of casting the line, thereby shortening the distance of the cast. Another problem with native boards is that the line can become wound around the use's fingers as line is inadvertently wrapped around the longer sections of the ends. Line that is inadvertently wrapped around the longer sections of the ends also can become dislodged during handling causing slack line that can fall off the reel in a knot.